


no longer left behind

by chuuyavibes



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro is Bad at Feelings, Akechi is a tsundere, Akechi is in therapy, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Futaba is the ultimate wingman, Light Angst, M/M, Ponytail Akechi Supremacy, Post Persona 5 Royal, Recurring Nightmares, Ren is kind of a dork, Slow To Update, Sumire is the supportive kouhai, persona 5 royal spoilers, why am i writing all these things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-19 12:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29874939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chuuyavibes/pseuds/chuuyavibes
Summary: More than an entire year had past since Maruki's Palace was destroyed and the Phantom Thieves disbanded. Now that Ren, eighteen, moved out of his parent's house in his small hometown to live full time in Tokyo in the same dusty attic he grew to love, he figured he'd meet some of his old friends and teammates. However, who he didn't expect to see was someone he hadn't heard from in so long...Someone who he left behind, but that would all change now.
Kudos: 6





	no longer left behind

It had already been an entire year since the Phantom Thieves had disbanded and regained their true reality, and things had been going rather smoothly for everyone. The group was still incredibly close, meeting up whenever their busy schedules could allow… Now that Ren had graduated high school, he decided to finally move back to Tokyo from his small hometown. 

The train ride to Yongen-Jaya was a long one, but it was cathartic; the bustling train was a throwback to his daily train rides to Shujin two years ago. It felt so comforting, like he was finally going home. The things he definitely didn’t miss were people constantly bumping into him or hearing  _ way  _ more than he should have. Awkward.

“Hey! Ren!”

A boyish voice came from his bag; it was Morgana. Of course he had to bring Morgana with him. He was just as close to everyone else, after all.

“Are you gonna message everyone to meet up with them? The chief is letting you stay at Leblanc as long as you pull your weight helping the store, right?”

The cat was as loud and obnoxious as ever, which… Was a problem. Morgana was starting to annoy the people around the two of them. Did he forget he only sounds like a cat to regular people?

“Quiet. People are starting to stare at us.”

And truth be told, Ren wished he could actually hang out with his friends… But all of them were busy now with their own lives. The only one he could remotely think of spending time with was Futaba, but she might be involved in afterschool clubs now that she’s in high school. Though… It wouldn’t hurt to message the group chat. A quick scroll through the messages on his phone, he looked at the bottom of his texts. Ah. Right. Someone he hadn’t heard from since he left to go back to his hometown a year ago.

… Akechi.

He was alive, yes, but their rivalry and any semblance of a friendship they may have had might as well be dead. Ren would message him about once a month just to give bland life updates and the like. Never a single response, though. Never since Akechi messaged him as he was about to leave on the train a year ago.

_ I’ll be waiting. _

It couldn’t hurt to just message  _ him _ first, would it? It’s not like he’d respond anyway. Besides… It was about time to message him again, anyway.

**> Ren: Hey. I’m coming back to Tokyo. If you ever wanna find me, I’ll be at ** **  
** **Leblanc.**

**> Ren: I know you read these. Let’s talk again soon, okay?**

“Who did you message? Was it Lady Ann? Ahh… I’d give up fatty tuna for a year just to see her beauty again…”

Morgana was already fantasizing about the idea of seeing Ann again, but it was probably better not to let him know who exactly Ren was texting. There was still the underlying hostility most of the group held towards Akechi, even when he helped them take down Maruki. It was best to just lie right now. At least, that’s what it seemed… None of them exactly ever brought him up, anyway.

“Just a friend from high school. Don’t worry about it.”

The young man pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, trying his best to hide behind his obvious lie; he didn’t have any friends back home. Fortunately for him, Morgana was pretty damn gullible.

“Boring. Talk to them already!”

“You’re just impatient, relax.”

Ren couldn’t help but chuckle at Morgana’s impulsiveness, maybe he missed the whole group a lot too. However, there was no guarantee anyone would even be able to hang out today. It would just be best to head directly to Leblanc and unpack, especially since Sojiro so kindly is allowing him to stay in the attic again free of charge.

Well, as long as he helps out at the cafe every other day.

“We have to go to Leblanc first, remember? We can text them then,” Ren said to the cat. Morgana just huffed in annoyance and put his head back inside of the young man’s bag, then Ren heard the announcement for their stop: Yongen-Jaya.

Luckily, Yongen-Jaya was a small neighborhood so not many people got off; the real issue was just trying to squeeze his way off of the crowded train. He for sure didn’t miss this aspect of the Tokyo subway system. After a few bumps and apologies, Ren managed to get off of the train and into the station proper with everything (and everyone) intact. Poor Morgana, though. The poor thing was almost squished inside of Ren’s bag. Tired, muffled whines came from his bag, and once they got out of the crowded station and into the neighborhood, Ren snuck into an alley to take Morgana out of his bag.

“H-hey, you okay, Mona?” 

The young man gently shook his cat to try and wake him up from his almost comical fate, but then he heard his phone buzz. Guess someone texted him.

**> Futaba: hey hey hey ren!!! i see youre finally off the train!!!**

**> Ren: How?**

**> Futaba: i have a tracker on your phone >:0000 did you forget?**

**> Futaba: anyway!!! sojiro wanted me to tell you that we’re gonna be leaving pretty soon to get me supplies for next semester!!! make your way to leblanc FAST he wants you to run the store for an hour ok??**

**> Ren: … Alright-**

**> Futaba: theres just one guy here but hes rly quiet n weird so dont mind him, sojiro will leave the keys to you once u get here so hurry up!!!**

**> Ren: Will do. See you two soon.**

**> Futaba: see you soon bro!! i miss you so much!!!!**

… Futaba is as energetic as ever. By the time Ren finished his conversation, Morgana came to.

“Mrrrrow…. That hurt…”

“Sorry, buddy. We gotta get to Leblanc, can you walk?”

“Just put me back in the bag, Ren…”

And with that, Ren let out a small sigh and chuckled, picking up Morgana and securing him safely inside of his bag. The young man began to make his way to Leblanc, taking in the familiar sights he hadn’t seen in more than a year. The air around here was a tad grimier than his hometown, but it felt like home, he couldn’t wait to be back. Maybe he should visit Takemi again to catch up after Sojiro and Futaba return.

“Hey, hey. You have to take over the store for a bit, right? Did you want me to see if I can go find some of the others?”

Morgana poked his head out of the bag again and crawled his way up to Ren’s shoulder, almost knocking the young man’s glasses off of his face. Cat claws dug into Ren’s hoodie, securing his place nicely as the right hand cat he proved himself to be. Ren was too busy lost in thought to even be paying attention to the things the cat was doing.

_ I wonder how everyone is doing. What would we even do? _

“Oi, Frizzy Hair!” Morgana swatted at the other’s head, knocking him out of his daydream, thankfully before he bumped into a pole.

“What? We’re almost there.”

“Tch, never mind!”

The cat huffed in annoyance as the two of them approached Leblanc. It looked like just Sojiro was inside, alongside someone who was on their phone at the counter… Was this the person Futaba was talking about? Before Ren could even reach for the door, it swung open and a familiar face greeted him with a kind smile.

“Hey, kid. Come on inside.”

Ren nodded with a smile on his face, trying his hardest to, well, not hug his favorite father figure. Sojiro was a better dad than his own, after all.

“Good to see ya again too, old man,” he said with a chuckle.

“H-hey, I’m not that old! “

Ren let himself inside with Morgana in tow and made his way toward the back of the shop, ready to drop off his things before he takes on the store.

“Just go, we’ll catch up later. Isn’t Futaba waiting for you?”

“Yeah, sorry for the late notice. She insisted, and you know how stubborn she can be. I’ll make you some of the best curry you’ve had later as thanks, alright?”

That sounded like a good deal! It’s not like Ren was hurting for money either, he saved up a lot when he was working part time jobs his final year. In fact, Ren wanted to open up his own cafe, something he could probably ask Haru for help with.

“Yeah, sure. See ya soon.”

Sojiro grabbed his jacket and hat and left with a wave, leaving Ren alone in the store just with Morgana and the quiet customer. The young man spoke to the person at the counter, quickly explaining his situation.

“Hey, I’ll be upstairs for a second, don’t mind me. I’ll be back down quick if you need anything.”

… Something seemed off about that person, but Ren needed to throw his things upstairs and get changed to tend the store. There was no time to be questioning these kinds of things.

The cozy cafe didn’t change much at all, and neither did his living quarters. A bit dusty, sure, but nothing he couldn’t clean with a good couple of hours once Sojiro and Futaba get back. It took him a minute to throw his bag down and to change, but something had to be done about Morgana. It’d be bad for business if a cat was wandering around.

“Hey, how about you go wander around or something? I’ll buy some fish for you afterward, just at least until Sojiro and Futaba get back.” Ren took a seat on his bed as he spoke quietly to Morgana. If anyone heard their conversation it’d be suspicious, or they’d probably think Ren was a little… Crazy in the head.

“I-I said that earlier, idiot! But fine, you owe me an entire week’s worth of fatty tuna!”

“One day.”

“Three!”

“Done. Now go.”

The young man opened the window above his bed for Morgana to climb out of, and the black cat obliged. He’s done this plenty of times before when Ren was just hanging out with his friends, so why would this be any different?

Another buzz from his phone, but this time Ren was truly alone. He expected another text from Futaba, but it was… Wait.

**> Akechi: Found you. I win.**

Ren hurried downstairs to see if he really was there. Or if he was… Anywhere. Was this a prank? Some cruel joke? … Why was he so excited over the chance to see Akechi again?

“It took you long enough. My phone was almost dead, it was a pain to try texting you.” The previously quiet customer looked up from his phone, resting his elbow on the counter with a smug grin on his face as he turned to Ren. Those red eyes, the light brown hair, that perpetually annoyed demeanor… It couldn’t be, could it? “I wish you would have told me when your train was coming in, I was waiting here for over an hour. Do you know how annoying it was to try and hide myself from that Sakura girl?”

Ren stumbled backward, catching himself on the knob of the bathroom door. He was surprised, no, shocked even. After all that time, he thought Akechi despised him. Hated him. Wanted him dead. But here he was,  _ waiting _ for him in what’s essentially his house. “Y-you-”

“What? You told me where to find you, so here I am.”

“That’s not the point!”

Ren’s wiped the tears that began to form in his eyes, unable to keep a straight face. Why was he faltering now? He was looking like a total idiot in front of someone he considered a rival and a friend. Friend… He wondered if the other even saw him that way anymore.

“Hey, can you stop standing around like an idiot and pour me another coffee? I’ll pay you back later.”

Akechi really was acting like nothing happened. Like it was back to when they met again after Maruki’s reality took hold of the world. They bickered as their rivalry reached its peak during that time, trying to outdo each other with their personas. But now? The Metaverse was gone, or at least they couldn’t access it anymore. They had no reason to continue their rivalry, did they? They never got to complete their original deal… But there had to be something. Something they could do.

Ren wasn’t the type to go back on his word, after all.

He had a vague idea what he’d do to make good on their deal, but it might be difficult, especially with Ren’s large friend group most likely wanting to tag along with him everywhere. But Akechi’s glove was always in his back pocket, no matter what happened.

“Why are you here anyway? I figured you were done with me.”

The brunette went quiet when he heard Ren’s voice, pondering what to say. His expression had a hint of pain on it, and Ren figured it was probably a bad idea to press any further, but before he could try and retract his question, Akechi answered him.

“Well, I was going to get to this later, but since you insist on being so pushy with me today I might as well say I was in a rehabilitative center until June of last year and I’ve been seeing a therapist every Wednesday and Friday since. Does that suffice as an answer?” Akechi sighed and looked at the now black screen on his phone. Dead. Dead like the person he once was, he hoped. It was already the end of March, the chill breeze outside signalling a new school year and a new beginning for many people. “I’d rather not speak of it again, thank you.” The cold tone in his voice cut through Ren like a knife.

“... Right.”

Ren put the kettle filled with water on the stove, the pot next to the burner still fresh with the smell of curry. He just wondered what special ingredient was put in there… Ah, an idea! Hopefully this should lighten the mood a bit.

“Hey, do you want me to make you some curry? It’s lunch time after all,” Ren offered. Thanks to Sojiro’s teachings last year, he pretty much mastered how to make any kind of curry he wanted. He’d make it all the time at home for himself, too. “It pairs really well with the coffee, you know. Scientifically proven.”

Akechi was taking the last sips of his cup of coffee when he heard Ren’s offer.

_ Grumble grumble. _

Rosy cheeks turned away from the bespectacled young man in embarrassment; he just didn’t want to admit he was hungry, nor that his own stomach made that noise. Ren found it endearing, if not a little cute, actually.

“... Fine. Just don’t expect any thanks afterward.”

“Maybe I’ll have to beg it out of you,” Ren teased. He let the water heat up as he looked through the fridge to find any leftover curry ingredients. Luckily it seemed that today was really slow with business, so he wouldn’t have to tend to anyone else. … Maybe he should make curry with apples as a secondary ingredient? That would be nice, right?

“Hey.”

Turning around as he wiped some rogue curry powder on his previously neat apron, Ren tilted his head at Akechi’s sudden call for attention. The brunette was now looking at him directly, those red eyes no longer daggers. They seemed much softer now, even if there was no hint of that anywhere else on his face.

“You’re waiting a year before going to university, right?”

A nod. 

“I’m going to university for criminal justice. I’ll be starting this semester, since I couldn’t before due to my circumstances.”

… Same old Akechi. Still sticking to his justice, no matter what. It was quite noble, Ren thought. … Maybe this was his way of atoning? It’s not like even if he confessed to his crimes he’d be found guilty. No one else knows the Metaverse existed, and it sure as hell doesn’t exist anymore.

“Why am I not surprised?” Ren said with a chuckle. As he took the screaming kettle off of the stove, he gently poured the water through the funnel of crushed beans to let the coffee drip down into the cup below. Soon, the mature yet comforting aroma of fresh coffee filled the small, empty cafe once again. Passing the cup to Akechi, he just nodded and leaned on the bar counter, looking at him expectantly with a grin on his face. “Try it.”

“It’s just coffee, it’s not going to be anything special.”

“Yeah, but I made it. Just tell me what you think.”

Akechi looked over at Ren with a raised brow, then looked down at the cup of coffee. It’s not like Ren could have laced it with anything, Akechi was watching him the entire time. It’s not like he had anything better to do in this boring cafe since his phone died. What else could he do but just take a sip so those eyes would finally be off of him? Putting the cup close to his lips, he took in the aromas. Surprisingly pleasant, actually, and with a small sip, a faint smile formed on his face.

“It’s… Quite delicious, actually. There’s something about it, but…” After taking another sip, he was quite confident in what he was going to say next. “I think I prefer yours to the owner of this establishment.”

“That’s high praise. You sure you’re not messing with me?”

“If I wanted to lie about something, it sure wouldn’t be over something like coffee, you know.”

Even though Ren couldn’t help but smile like an idiot at the assumedly absurd statement, he felt a little proud of himself. Sojiro taught him well after all, huh? A familiar aroma wafted throughout the cafe, and Ren looked behind to the curry that was cooking on the stove. Right, he needed to cook some rice, too. “I’m making enough for the two of us, that okay?”

“Sure, not like I mind,” the other young man said quietly. Ren hummed as he put the rest of the ingredients into the curry and waited for the rice cooker to beep. Though he couldn’t help but wonder what everyone else was doing, Ren was busy right now… Maybe he’d text them once Futaba and Sojiro come back?

Buzz buzz.

It was his phone. The young man pulled it out of his back pocket and opened his messages to see another text from Futaba. … Sometimes he forgot she wiretapped his phone, too, and he tried to stifle his laughter as best he could at what she texted him.

**> Futaba: hey!!! you and pancake boy getting along???**

**> Futaba: i heard your conversations, dont lie to me!!!**

**> Futaba: sojiro and i will be back early in about 10 minutes! save some curry for me!! :333**

Ren tried to fake a cough into his fist, clearing his throat as he turned quickly back to the curry he was making… Luckily he made extra, since he just learned Futaba and Sojiro were coming back early.

“... What’s wrong with you?” Akechi tilted his head slightly as he looked up from the crossword puzzle he was doing. Ren shook his head and tried to play off everything as perfectly fine! Everything was wonderful!

“Ah, nothing! Futaba just texted me, they’re gonna be back in about ten minutes.”

Beep beep! Rice was done! And just in time, too. The curry was finished, and Ren took two plates and carefully scooped both rice and the curry onto both. It smelled really good, and damn, was he hungry… Setting both plates with spoons down on the counter with one in front of the other young man, Ren hurried himself to the other side of the bar counter to sit next to Akechi.

“I can sit next to you, right?” Ren smiled expectantly waiting for an answer.

“I don’t see why not.” Akechi gave the smallest of smiles as he looked at Ren, who was blowing on his first bite of curry to cool it off before eating it. The frizzy haired young man still didn’t have a care in the world, did he? Akechi shook off the thought as he looked to his own food, taking a bite of the hot curry. It was… Delicious! He’d only ever gotten the chance to enjoy Leblanc’s coffee before, so it was nice to branch out and try some food from the cafe he insisted was his favorite so long ago. As he continued eating, Ren spoke up.

“Oh yeah, I was meaning to ask. Why is your hair in a ponytail?”

This question caught Akechi off guard, as he almost forgot he had his hair like that, honestly. The normally well-spoken, collected detective found it hard to find words to explain himself, even though it should be rather easy. He just didn’t want to be noticed by the general public.

“… I just didn’t want to be noticed. That’s all.”

The brunette huffed and quietly continued to eat his food, but what Ren said next almost made him spit out his coffee after he took a sip.

“Well, personally, I like your hair better this way. I think it suits you.”

“Y-you  _ what?! _ ” Akechi’s cheeks flushed a rosy red as his eyes widened in surprise. Ren just chuckled and smiled as he looked at the other’s flustered face. Seemed that the second coming of the detective prince flustered easily. Are all cocky, emotionally disconnected geniuses like that?

“I said what I said.”

Buzz buzz. Ren’s phone again... 

**> Futaba: you two act like ur married-**

**> Futaba: smh**

**> Futaba: anyway we’re just getting off the train!!!!**

**> Futaba: also… you were talking abt ur deal earlier right?**

**> Futaba: i know just the place!!!! mwehehehehe**

… He’ll just ignore that first part.

“Futaba texted me again. They’re getting off the train, so they’ll be back in a few minutes. Oh yeah, by the way…” Before Ren continued, he picked up their now empty plates and Akechi’s empty coffee mug and walked behind the counter to put the dishes in the sink. Turning around again to his rival, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and grinned. “I know how we can make good on our deal.”

  
  



End file.
